.gif)
Journey to the West (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Journey to the West is a Chinese
television series adaptation of Wu Cheng'en
's Chinese
classical
novel of the same title
. The series was first broadcast on CCTV
in China on 1 October 1986.
The series became an instant classic in China and is still being praised as the best and most authentic interpretation of the novel. Unadapted portions of the original story were later covered in the second season, which was released in 1999.
of 89.4% in 1987. The series has been rebroadcast every year since then.
via flashbacks of their travels and adventures, (namely those episodes not depicted in the first series) upon their return to China. Season 2 differs from the format of the first season, as most episodes end on a cliffhanger, with conflicts being resolved and new ones encountered in the middle of episodes in a more fluid timeline.
in 2007, with a total of 45 episodes, each 45 minutes long and containing 10 minutes of 3-D effects
. The original cast was recruited: Liu Xiao Ling Tong
, Chi Chongrui and Ma Dehua. Sha Wujing
was played by Liu Dagang as the original actor, Yan Huaili, died in April 2009. The production will be completed in November 2010.
, Chi Chongrui, Ma Dehua and Liu Dagang) reprise their roles again in Wu Cheng'en and Journey to the West, a 2010 TV series about Wu Cheng'en
, author of Journey to the West
, and his inspiration for writing the novel. Liu Xiao Ling Tong simultaneously played Wu Cheng'en and the Monkey King.
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
television series adaptation of Wu Cheng'en
Wu Cheng'en
Wu Cheng'en , courtesy name Ruzhong , pen name "Sheyang Hermit," was a Chinese novelist and poet of the Ming Dynasty, best known for being the attributed author of one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, Journey to the West.-Biography:Wu was born in Lianshui, in Jiangsu...
's Chinese
Chinese literature
Chinese literature extends thousands of years, from the earliest recorded dynastic court archives to the mature fictional novels that arose during the Ming Dynasty to entertain the masses of literate Chinese...
classical
Four Great Classical Novels
The Four Great Classical Novels, or the Four Major Classical Novels of Chinese literature, are the four novels commonly regarded by scholars to be the greatest and most influential of pre-modern Chinese fiction. Dating from the Ming and Qing dynasties, they are well known to most Chinese readers...
novel of the same title
Journey to the West
Journey to the West is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. It was written by Wu Cheng'en in the 16th century. In English-speaking countries, the tale is also often known simply as Monkey. This was one title used for a popular, abridged translation by Arthur Waley...
. The series was first broadcast on CCTV
China Central Television
China Central Television or Chinese Central Television, commonly abbreviated as CCTV, is the major state television broadcaster in mainland China. CCTV has a network of 19 channels broadcasting different programmes and is accessible to more than one billion viewers...
in China on 1 October 1986.
The series became an instant classic in China and is still being praised as the best and most authentic interpretation of the novel. Unadapted portions of the original story were later covered in the second season, which was released in 1999.
Season 1
Season 1 has 25 episodes and covers 74 chapters of the novel. The first trial episode was aired on 1 October 1982, and filming lasted until 1987. It was aired as a whole series in 1988. With the limited but relatively new special effects, the series received a viewership rateNielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
of 89.4% in 1987. The series has been rebroadcast every year since then.
| # | Title | Chinese title | Based on chapter(s) of novel |
Runtime in minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birth of the Monkey King | 猴王初問世 | 1-2 | 40 |
| 2 | Put in charge of horses | 官封弼馬溫 | 2-4 | 44 |
| 3 | The Great Sage wreaks havoc in Heaven | 大聖鬧天宮 | 4-7 | 57 |
| 4 | Imprisoned at Five Elements Mountain | 困囚五行山 | 7-9, 12-13 | 41 |
| 5 | The Monkey King becomes Tripitaka's bodyguard | 猴王保唐僧 | 13-15 | 51 |
| 6 | Disaster in Guan Yin temple | 禍起觀音院 | 16-17 | 42 |
| 7 | Getting Zhu Bajie by strategy | 計收豬八戒 | 18-19 | 51 |
| 8 | Facing three adversities during the tough journey | 坎途逢三難 | 20-24 | 49 |
| 9 | Stealing the ginseng fruit | 偷吃人蔘果 | 24-26 | 51 |
| 10 | Three battles with the White Bone Demon | 三打白骨精 | 27 | 48 |
| 11 | Cleverly instigating the Monkey King | 智激美猴王 | 28-31 | 52 |
| 12 | Robbing treasure in the Lotus Cave | 奪寶蓮花洞 | 32-35 | 51 |
| 13 | Slaying demons in Wuji country | 除妖烏雞國 | 36-39 | 58 |
| 14 | Battling the Red Boy | 大戰紅孩兒 | 40-42 | 42 |
| 15 | Defeating three demons in a magic power contest | 鬥法降三怪 | 44-46 | 59 |
| 16 | Interesting encounter in Women's Kingdom | 趣經女兒國 | 53-55 | 59 |
| 17 | Three attempts in taking the Palm-leaf Fan | 三調芭蕉扇 | 59-61 | 50 |
| 18 | Cleaning the tower and redressing a grievance | 掃塔辨奇冤 | 62-63 | 54 |
| 19 | Entering the Little Thunder Temple by mistake | 誤入小雷音 | 64-66 | 55 |
| 20 | The Monkey King becomes a physician | 孫猴巧行醫 | 68-71 | 56 |
| 21 | Falling into the Spiders' Cave by accident | 錯墜盤絲洞 | 72-73 | 57 |
| 22 | Four visits to the abyss | 四探無底洞 | 80-83 | 62 |
| 23 | Teaching in Yuhuazhou | 傳藝玉華州 | 84-85, 88-90 | 59 |
| 24 | Getting the Jade Rabbit in India | 天竺收玉兔 | 93-95 | 46 |
| 25 | Arrival in the Land of Pureness | 波生極樂天 | 98-100 | 50 |
Season 2
Season 2 has 16 episodes (covers another 25 chapters of the novel). Filming began in 1998 and finished in 1999. It was broadcast on CCTV in 2000. The internal story of the second season has the four protagonists relating to Emperor Taizong of TangEmperor Taizong of Tang
Emperor Taizong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Shìmín , was the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling from 626 to 649...
via flashbacks of their travels and adventures, (namely those episodes not depicted in the first series) upon their return to China. Season 2 differs from the format of the first season, as most episodes end on a cliffhanger, with conflicts being resolved and new ones encountered in the middle of episodes in a more fluid timeline.
| # | Title | Chinese title | |Based on chapter(s) of novel | Runtime in minutes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dangerous crossing at the River of Heaven | 險渡通天河 | 47-48 | 43 | |
| 2 | A rift between master and disciples | 師徒生二心 | 49, 56-58 | 44 | |
| 3 | The real and fake Monkey King | 真假美猴王 | 58 | 44 | |
| 4 | Obstacle at Lion Camel Mountain | 受阻獅駝嶺 | 58, 74 | 44 | |
| 5 | Meeting immortals at Peacock Platform | 遇仙孔雀台 | 75-76 | 44 | |
| 6 | Buddha captures the Great Roc | 如來收大鵬 | 77, 43 | 44 | |
| 7 | Heartbreak at Black Water River | 情斷黑水河 | 43, 10 | 44 | |
| 8 | Capturing the Green Bull Demon | 收伏青牛怪 | 50-51 | 44 | |
| 9 | Praying for rain at Phoenix-immortal Prefecture | 祈雨鳳仙郡 | 52, 87 | 44 | |
| 10 | Wreaking havoc in Fragrance-covered Hall | 大鬧披香殿 | 87, 67 | 44 | |
| 11 | A dead end becomes the way | 絕域變通途 | 67, 86 | 44 | |
| 12 | Shedding tears on Mist-hidden Mountain | 淚灑隱霧山 | 86, 78 | 44 | |
| 13 | Rescue in the City of Children | 救難小兒城 | 78-79 | 44 | |
| 14 | Catching bandits in Bodhisattva City | 緝盜菩提城 | 79, 88, 96-97 | 44 | |
| 15 | Returning the soul of Benefactor Kou | 還魂寇善人 | 97, 91 | 44 | |
| 16 | Admiring the lanterns in Jinping Prefecture | 觀燈金平府 | 91-92 | 43 |
Season 1
- Liu Xiao Ling TongLiu Xiao Ling TongLiu Xiao Ling Tong is the stage name of Zhang Jinlai , a famous Chinese actor who was known for his critically acclaimed portrayal of Sun Wukong in the 1986 Journey to the West TV series.-Biography:...
as Sun WukongSun WukongSun Wukong , also known as the Monkey King is a main character in the classical Chinese epic novel Journey to the West . In the novel, he is a monkey born from a stone who acquires supernatural powers through Taoist practices... - Wang Yue, Xu Shaohua, Chi Chongrui as Tang SanzangXuanzang (fictional character)The fictional character Xuanzang is a central character of the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West.For most of the novel he is known as Táng-sānzàng, the title Sānzàng referring to his mission to seek the Sānzàngjīng, the "Three Collections of Scriptures"...
- Ma Dehua as Zhu BajieZhu BajieZhu Bajie, also named Zhu Wuneng, is one of the three helpers of Xuanzang in the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West. He is called "Pigsy" or "Pig" in many English versions of the story....
- Yan Huaili as Sha WujingSha WujingShā Wùjìng is one of the three disciples of Xuánzàng in the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, although versions of his character predate the Ming novel. In the novels, his background is the least developed of the pilgrims and he contributes the least to their efforts...
Season 2
- Liu Xiao Ling TongLiu Xiao Ling TongLiu Xiao Ling Tong is the stage name of Zhang Jinlai , a famous Chinese actor who was known for his critically acclaimed portrayal of Sun Wukong in the 1986 Journey to the West TV series.-Biography:...
as Sun WukongSun WukongSun Wukong , also known as the Monkey King is a main character in the classical Chinese epic novel Journey to the West . In the novel, he is a monkey born from a stone who acquires supernatural powers through Taoist practices... - Xu Shaohua, Chi Chongrui as Tang SanzangXuanzang (fictional character)The fictional character Xuanzang is a central character of the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West.For most of the novel he is known as Táng-sānzàng, the title Sānzàng referring to his mission to seek the Sānzàngjīng, the "Three Collections of Scriptures"...
- Cui Jingfu as Zhu BajieZhu BajieZhu Bajie, also named Zhu Wuneng, is one of the three helpers of Xuanzang in the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West. He is called "Pigsy" or "Pig" in many English versions of the story....
- Liu Dagang as Sha WujingSha WujingShā Wùjìng is one of the three disciples of Xuánzàng in the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, although versions of his character predate the Ming novel. In the novels, his background is the least developed of the pilgrims and he contributes the least to their efforts...
Reshot version in high definition
The entire series was reshot in high definitionHigh-definition video
High-definition video or HD video refers to any video system of higher resolution than standard-definition video, and most commonly involves display resolutions of 1,280×720 pixels or 1,920×1,080 pixels...
in 2007, with a total of 45 episodes, each 45 minutes long and containing 10 minutes of 3-D effects
3-D film
A 3-D film or S3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception...
. The original cast was recruited: Liu Xiao Ling Tong
Liu Xiao Ling Tong
Liu Xiao Ling Tong is the stage name of Zhang Jinlai , a famous Chinese actor who was known for his critically acclaimed portrayal of Sun Wukong in the 1986 Journey to the West TV series.-Biography:...
, Chi Chongrui and Ma Dehua. Sha Wujing
Sha Wujing
Shā Wùjìng is one of the three disciples of Xuánzàng in the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, although versions of his character predate the Ming novel. In the novels, his background is the least developed of the pilgrims and he contributes the least to their efforts...
was played by Liu Dagang as the original actor, Yan Huaili, died in April 2009. The production will be completed in November 2010.
Wu Cheng'en and Journey to the West
The main cast (Liu Xiao Ling TongLiu Xiao Ling Tong
Liu Xiao Ling Tong is the stage name of Zhang Jinlai , a famous Chinese actor who was known for his critically acclaimed portrayal of Sun Wukong in the 1986 Journey to the West TV series.-Biography:...
, Chi Chongrui, Ma Dehua and Liu Dagang) reprise their roles again in Wu Cheng'en and Journey to the West, a 2010 TV series about Wu Cheng'en
Wu Cheng'en
Wu Cheng'en , courtesy name Ruzhong , pen name "Sheyang Hermit," was a Chinese novelist and poet of the Ming Dynasty, best known for being the attributed author of one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, Journey to the West.-Biography:Wu was born in Lianshui, in Jiangsu...
, author of Journey to the West
Journey to the West
Journey to the West is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. It was written by Wu Cheng'en in the 16th century. In English-speaking countries, the tale is also often known simply as Monkey. This was one title used for a popular, abridged translation by Arthur Waley...
, and his inspiration for writing the novel. Liu Xiao Ling Tong simultaneously played Wu Cheng'en and the Monkey King.